Group Personal Accident and Business Travel Insurance for employers
Fixed benefits for employees injured in an accident, and protection for everyone who travels on company business, on one group scheme. A specialist broker can compare accident and travel cover for teams working in the UK and overseas.
- Lump sums and weekly benefits whoever was at fault
- Annual travel cover for every employee who travels
- Medical, repatriation and emergency assistance abroad
Reviewed October 2026 by the MyBusinessComparison.com editorial team
What is group personal accident and business travel insurance?
Group personal accident insurance pays set lump sums or weekly benefits to employees who are injured, disabled or killed in an accident, whether or not anyone was to blame. Business travel insurance covers staff on work trips for emergency medical costs, repatriation, cancellation, lost baggage and equipment, with round the clock assistance.
Employers often buy the two together because they protect the same people and many insurers offer them as one scheme. Both are optional. They sit alongside employers' liability insurance, which most employers must hold and which only pays when the business is held responsible for an injury.
Personal accident and travel cover at a glance
- Accident benefits
- Death, loss of limbs or sight, permanent disablement and weekly benefit
- Travel benefits
- Medical costs, repatriation, cancellation, baggage, money and equipment
- Who is covered
- Named categories of staff and directors, sometimes their families
- When
- Working hours only, or around the clock
- Fault needed?
- No, it pays out however the accident happened
- Compulsory?
- No, unlike employers' liability
What does group personal accident and travel insurance cover?
Benefits are set by category of employee, often as a multiple of salary or a fixed sum. These are the covers most schemes include.
Accidental death
A lump sum paid to the employee's estate or family if they die as a result of an accident covered by the policy.
Loss of limbs, sight or hearing
Set payments for the permanent loss, or loss of use, of a limb, an eye or hearing, according to a scale in the policy.
Permanent total disablement
A lump sum if an accident leaves someone unable to work again in any job, or in their own job if that wider definition is chosen.
Temporary disablement
A weekly benefit while an employee is unable to work after an accident, paid for a set number of weeks after a short waiting period.
Medical and recovery costs
Help with treatment, physiotherapy and rehabilitation not provided free, and sometimes with home or vehicle adaptations.
Medical expenses abroad
Emergency treatment, hospital stays and evacuation for staff who fall ill or are injured on a business trip, plus repatriation home.
Baggage, money and business equipment
Lost, stolen or damaged luggage, cash and work kit such as laptops and samples while travelling.
Read more about business equipment insurance
Cancellation and disruption
Non refundable travel and accommodation costs when a trip is cancelled or cut short for a covered reason, and costs from serious delays.
Security and crisis assistance
Emergency help with evacuation from unrest or natural disasters. Kidnap and ransom is usually a separate specialist policy.
Options to ask about
- Sickness benefit: adds weekly benefit for illness as well as accidents, at extra cost
- Personal liability: covers employees' legal liability to others while travelling
- Accompanying family: extends travel cover to partners and children joining an employee on a work trip
- Contractors and volunteers: brings people who are not on the payroll into the scheme where agreed
Which employers buy group personal accident and travel cover?
Employers whose staff face physical risk at work, travel regularly, or who want to offer a stronger benefits package. These sectors use it most.
Need cover for directors' income too? See key person and business protection for policies that pay the company if a vital person dies or falls ill.
- Construction companies: site teams exposed to falls, plant and manual handling every day
- Civil engineering contractors: staff working on roads, rail and utilities projects, often far from home
- Engineering firms: field engineers installing and servicing equipment at customers' sites in the UK and abroad
- Security companies: officers working nights, lone working and dealing with confrontation
- Cleaning and facilities firms: large mobile workforces working at height and with machinery
- Haulage and logistics operators: drivers loading, unloading and travelling long distances, including into Europe
- Manufacturers and exporters: factory teams, plus sales staff visiting customers and trade fairs overseas
- Technology and consulting firms: staff flying to clients, conferences and offices abroad
- Professional firms: partners and staff on frequent UK and international business trips
- Recruitment agencies: cover for placed temporary workers as well as internal staff
- Leisure and activity operators: instructors and outdoor staff with a higher chance of injury
- Farms and estates: workers handling livestock, machinery and chemicals
- Event and touring crews: staff building and running events across the country and overseas
How much does group personal accident insurance cost?
The scheme is priced on who is covered, what they do and how much they travel. These are the factors underwriters focus on.
Roles and activities
Manual and site based roles carry more risk than office jobs, so insurers rate each category of staff separately.
Benefit levels
Higher lump sums, longer weekly benefit periods and adding sickness all increase the premium.
Hours of cover
Around the clock protection costs more than cover limited to working hours and business journeys.
Travel volume and destinations
The number of trips, how long they last and where staff go drive the travel premium, with higher risk regions rated up.
Ages and size of the group
The age profile of the workforce is considered, and some benefits reduce or stop above certain ages.
Claims experience
Past accident and travel claims shape renewal terms, particularly for larger groups.
What group personal accident and travel insurance does not cover
These exclusions apply to most schemes. Several can be removed or limited if you ask at the outset.
- Illness and disease under the accident section, unless sickness benefit has been added
- Injuries that develop gradually, such as back strain or repetitive strain, rather than from a sudden accident
- Self inflicted injury, and accidents caused by alcohol or drug misuse
- Hazardous work such as diving, offshore or underground work, unless declared and agreed
- Travel to destinations where official UK travel advice is against all travel, unless specially arranged
- Pre existing medical conditions on the travel section, depending on the insurer
- The employer's own liability for injuries, which is covered by employers' liability insurance
Group personal accident or employers' liability insurance?
Both respond to injured employees, which is why they are confused. They work very differently.
| Feature | Group personal accident | Employers' liability |
|---|---|---|
| Compulsory? | No, a voluntary benefit | Yes, for most businesses with employees |
| Does fault matter? | No, benefits are paid whatever the cause | Yes, the employer must be liable |
| Who receives the money | The employee or their family, sometimes via the employer | The injured employee, as compensation |
| How the amount is set | Fixed sums and weekly benefits in the schedule | Damages assessed on the claim |
| Outside working hours | Available on a round the clock basis | Only injuries arising from work |
| Illness | Optional sickness benefit | Covers work related illness where the employer is liable |
How to arrange group personal accident and travel cover
Schemes are built around categories of staff, so start by grouping your workforce.
Group your employees
Split staff by role and risk, for example office, field and site, and note how many are in each group.
Choose benefit levels
Decide on lump sums, weekly benefits and whether cover runs during working hours or around the clock.
Map your travel
Estimate trips per year, typical length and destinations, including any higher risk regions.
Flag special activities
Tell the broker about work at height, offshore or underground, and any manual work abroad.
Compare the full scheme
Check definitions of disablement, waiting periods, age limits, medical limits abroad and the assistance service.
Look after your people
Tell us about your workforce and travel patterns and a broker will put schemes side by side.
Compare quotesGroup personal accident and business travel FAQs
How much does group personal accident insurance cost?
It depends on the roles you insure, the benefit levels chosen, whether cover is around the clock and how much your staff travel. Office teams cost less to insure than site workers. A broker can price different benefit levels so you can compare.
Is group personal accident insurance compulsory?
No. It is a voluntary benefit. The cover employers are normally required to hold is employers' liability insurance, which pays when the business is responsible for an injury. Personal accident cover pays regardless of fault.
Does it cover employees outside work?
It can. Many schemes are written on a round the clock basis, covering accidents at home, on holiday and during sport, as well as at work. Cover can also be limited to working hours and business travel to reduce cost.
Who receives the benefit, the employer or the employee?
Benefits are intended for the injured employee or their family. Depending on how the policy is set up, the insurer may pay the employer, who passes the money on. Agree this at the start so staff understand how the scheme works.
Does business travel insurance cover trips within the UK?
Many policies do, usually where the trip includes an overnight stay or a flight. Check the definition of a covered trip, as day trips by car are often excluded.
Are pre existing medical conditions covered on business travel?
It depends on the insurer. Some group policies cover existing conditions automatically, others exclude them or ask for details of serious conditions. Tell the broker about any staff with ongoing medical needs who travel.
Can we cover contractors or temporary staff?
Often, yes. Schemes can include named categories such as contractors, temporary workers and volunteers if agreed with the insurer. Make sure each group is listed on the schedule.
Is kidnap and ransom included in business travel cover?
Not usually. Most travel policies offer security assistance and evacuation, but kidnap and ransom is normally a separate specialist policy for firms sending staff to higher risk regions.
How do I get a group personal accident and travel quote?
Start a request on this page and a specialist broker will get back to you to talk it through. Staff numbers by role, the benefits you have in mind, your travel patterns and any hazardous activities are the details needed.
Protect the people who keep your business moving
Set up group personal accident and business travel cover for your staff, compared by a specialist broker.